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      Audience
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      <h4>
        Linux From Scratch - Version 8.0-systemd
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      <h3>
        Preface
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            LFS Target Architectures
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      <h1 class="sect1">
        <a id="pre-audience" name="pre-audience"></a>ii. Audience
      </h1>
      <p>
        There are many reasons why you would want to read this book. One of
        the questions many people raise is, <span class=
        "quote">&ldquo;<span class="quote">why go through all the hassle of
        manually building a Linux system from scratch when you can just
        download and install an existing one?</span>&rdquo;</span>
      </p>
      <p>
        One important reason for this project's existence is to help you
        learn how a Linux system works from the inside out. Building an LFS
        system helps demonstrate what makes Linux tick, and how things work
        together and depend on each other. One of the best things that this
        learning experience can provide is the ability to customize a Linux
        system to suit your own unique needs.
      </p>
      <p>
        Another key benefit of LFS is that it allows you to have more control
        over the system without relying on someone else's Linux
        implementation. With LFS, you are in the driver's seat and dictate
        every aspect of the system.
      </p>
      <p>
        LFS allows you to create very compact Linux systems. When installing
        regular distributions, you are often forced to install a great many
        programs which are probably never used or understood. These programs
        waste resources. You may argue that with today's hard drive and CPUs,
        such resources are no longer a consideration. Sometimes, however, you
        are still constrained by size considerations if nothing else. Think
        about bootable CDs, USB sticks, and embedded systems. Those are areas
        where LFS can be beneficial.
      </p>
      <p>
        Another advantage of a custom built Linux system is security. By
        compiling the entire system from source code, you are empowered to
        audit everything and apply all the security patches desired. It is no
        longer necessary to wait for somebody else to compile binary packages
        that fix a security hole. Unless you examine the patch and implement
        it yourself, you have no guarantee that the new binary package was
        built correctly and adequately fixes the problem.
      </p>
      <p>
        The goal of Linux From Scratch is to build a complete and usable
        foundation-level system. If you do not wish to build your own Linux
        system from scratch, you may not entirely benefit from the
        information in this book.
      </p>
      <p>
        There are too many other good reasons to build your own LFS system to
        list them all here. In the end, education is by far the most powerful
        of reasons. As you continue in your LFS experience, you will discover
        the power that information and knowledge truly bring.
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